Making Your Fundraising Calendar

Ever wonder why some fundraising activities do really well, hold the exact same event the next year, and no one turns up? Some things can’t be prevented – a massive blackout, or storm – but here are some critical factors to make your fundraising as easy to attend as possible.

1. How many activities are you including in your calendar?

Assuming you’re planning school fundraisers for the entire calendar year, you’re not in a sprint. Even though four big events sounds really exciting in January, remember volunteers get tired and need a break. The Practical Fundraising Handbook has more detail about which activities will suit your timeframes.

2. Choose Your Event Dates Wisely (AKA don’t make people choose between you and the footy final)

When you plan high school fundraising, research the national, local and international events scheduled on your possible fundraising dates. Olympic opening ceremonies, royal weddings, local school fetes or markets – all of these things filter out a few more potential ticketholders. Don’t forget events at your school – camps, or big games at other venues. For your longer-running campaigns like chocolate fundraisers, think about having them earlier in the term when people aren’t  pre-occupied with assignments or end-of-year concerts.

On a more positive note, think about events your fundraiser could combine with, for example, a big home game. If you hold a fete right next to the playing field, ticket holders have ongoing entertainment and you’ve attracted extra people without even trying.